What is the Parish Council?

By Phil Blomberg

 

What does it do? Who pays for it?

The Parish Councils of the UK are the oldest authorities in the UK, based around ecclesiastical parishes, in a system of local government that originated in the feudal system of the 8th century.

The Parish Councils were formed in England in the 1890s to take over local oversight of civic duties in rural towns and villages.

They are the lowest, or first, tier of local government, and are elected bodies and have variable tax raising powers. The Councillors are normal members of the public who can be democratically elected into their posts if there is any competition for their seats.

The powers of Parish Councils are fairly limited. In Rodborough the Parish Council looks after many of the local amenities such as the play areas, some of the public grassed areas (not including the commons). Stroud District and Gloucestershire County Councils consult with the Parish Council over matters such as planning applications, roads, pavements and public footpaths. Other bodies such as the Police and the National Trust also liaise with it as a recognised source of local information. The Council has its own staff and budget and can periodically address matters such as road safety and long term planning strategies if it wishes to. It operates a number of committees which report back to it.

Planning and Transport Committee

Amenities and General Purpose Committee

Finance Committee

Fete Committee The Staffing Committee.

In addition the Parish Council can form working groups for tackling any individual issues for which it would set a rough timescale to try to achieve its aims. At the moment the Parish Council has two Working Groups: the Road Safety Working Group and the Wallbridge Fields Working Group.

The Parish Council also publishes this magazine which is almost self-funding from adverts. The content is agreed upon by the Commoner Editorial Group which works with the Parish Council to provide information on what is going on in the parish as well as items of local interest.

Phil Blomberg

Chair of Rodborough Parish Council

(This piece was originally written for The Commoner, the magazine for Rodborough Parish)

Can we Trust the National Trust?

How can the National Trust possibly have an “open mind” about fracking? According to this Guardian article, they do... http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/24/national-trust-open-land-fracking

According to the National Trust’s website, “We're a UK conservation charity, protecting historic places and green spaces, and opening them up for ever, for everyone.” Just given the visual impact of fracking, you might imagine the National Trust would not support it, but apparently National Trust director-general Dame Helen Ghosh has said that her organisation has an "open mind" about allowing fracking on its land. When did this policy come in, and why were members not informed that the National Trust apparently no longer intends to protect green spaces?

Local Green Cllr Molly Scott Cato said, “I am shocked by Helen Ghosh’s comment. How unbelievable that they will protect the view but not the groundwater.”

The National Trust was set up in 1894 "for the purposes of promoting the permanent preservation for the benefit of the nation of lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest and as regards lands for the preservation (so far as practicable) of their natural aspect features and animal and plant life:" (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) Helen Ghosh doesn’t appear to be aware of this.

Locally, The National Trust is responsible for Woodchester Park, Crickley Hill, Rodborough Common, May Hill, Lodge Park and Sherborne Estate as well as buildings. How can any organisation responsible for places of such beauty and local importance, be willing to consider fracking them?

I’ve talked to someone who manages the twitter account for the National Trust, and they say that their presumption is against fracking. What they could not explain to me, was why Helen Ghosh has been quoted saying something apparently so at odds with their policy. In this more recent Guardian article, Helen Ghosh claims she was the victim of misquoting, but does not explain what she said, or the context her words were taken out of. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/30/george-monbiot-national-trust-wind-fracking-dame-ghosh she does say, "Would we ever? It's a hypothetical question, until we have answers to the issues that currently concern us." That still sounds more like an 'open mind' than a clear cut 'no' to me.

 

We watch and wait, and keep up the pressure to make sure that our most beautiful places are indeed in safe hands.